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Kettlebell Thoughts on hypothetical strength/hypertrophy program

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LejonBrames

LejonBrames

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So this thought process was brought on by 2 things recently, I have been doing Pat Flynn's updated Prometheus Protocol, a 4 day per week program of double Clean and Press, Front Squats, Bent Over Rows, and Single-Leg Dead lifts.

I've been enjoying it a lot, and have just been reading up on different programs that are generally popular, and my reading brought me to the Greyskull Linear Progression, a barbell program that has some major flexibility to it that has made it pretty popular.

A hypothetical program kind of came into my head, just wanted to know other's thoughts on it. I don't have any plans on doing it(unless it seems like a good idea to some of the more experienced people here), and if it's garbage, please don't hesitate to let me know and we will throw it to the fire like hundreds of other failed routines before it.

Any thoughts on a 3 day per week, kind of 'A/B/A, B/A/B' program like this:

SETS X REPS

MONDAY
Double Clean & Press - 10x5
Get Ups - 5x1
Double Front Squat - 10x5​
WEDNESDAY
Double Bench Press/Push Ups - 5x10
Bent Over Rows/Pull Ups - 5x10
Single-Leg Deadlift/Heavy Swings - 10x5(or 10x10 for swings)​
FRIDAY
Double Clean & Press - 5x10
Get Ups - 5x1
Double Front Squat - 5x10​
MONDAY
Double Bench Press/Push Ups - 10x5
Bent Over Rows/Pull Ups - 10x5
Double Front Squat - 10x5​
WEDNESDAY
Double Clean & Press - 5x10
Get Ups - 5x1
Single-Leg Deadlift/Heavy Swings - 5x10(or 10x10 for swings)​
FRIDAY
Double Bench Press/Push Ups - 5x10
Bent Over Rows/Pull Ups - 5x10
Double Front Squat - 5x10​

There's a bit of 'waviness' in it, in that some days you will do 10 sets of 5 reps, others will be 5 sets of 10 reps(ripped this from the updated PP).

As I mentioned, it came to my head in the spur of the moment, and I have no investment in this plan, it was just an idea after reading the GSLP, and working on the Prometheus Protocol.

I notice that MANY of the popular programs around(KettleBear, The Wolf, Kettlebell Strong, Kettlebell Muscle, PP, ROP, etc.) seem to have heavy basis in the double Clean and Press and Front Squats, they seem to be universally accepted as 'bang for your buck' movements.

Please discuss intelligently :)
 
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Yeah that's the part I'm sticking on a bit.

The Prometheus Protocol is basically just the heaviest weight you can go, and seems to just be a short term program, so no real progression is built in.

However I'd love to know how it goes for you! I suppose there needs to be some catchy name for it :p
 
I have only limited experience With kettlebell hypertrophy so take my advice With a grain of salt, and know that most of what I say is based on reasoning and theory not on my own experience.

**
The program seem to cover all of the important movements like push, pull, squats and hinge. I Guess the get-up can be said to represent a sort of carry. In that aspect the program seem Complete.

Otherwise this is some Points I came up With when Reading Your program:

If you do a decent amount of Heavy pressing you will probably Reach some sort of fatigue in Your shoulders. If you then do Heavy get-ups afterwards, this might compromise the performance. At least for me, get-ups is not an excersise I want to do sloppy since I might slip and get the weight in my head. And besides I do not think that get-ups is a typical hypertrophy excersise. You could maybe do the get-ups With a light weight to maintain the technique and improve shoulder and core Health.

The clean and press, and the front squat and the bench press are typical excersises that normally are able to produce hypertrophy. I am a bit more usure about the one-legged deadlift. Balance seems to be an important aspect of that excersise, thereby reducing how much you can push yourself.

**
The Nice Things about barbells is that you can increase in quite small increments. But With kettlebells this is not that easy so it becomes and art to progress. So that makes it a question how you want to progress or increase the difficulty of Your excersises.

Hope that helps.
 
I like it.

One thing you might change up is to cross the strength/hypertrophy from upper to lower as you go. Mentally you might find it is easier to do and keeps your strength session from becoming crazy long.

Double Bench Press/Push Ups - 5x10
Bent Over Rows/Pull Ups - 5x10
Double Front Squat - 5x10

Becomes:
Double Bench Press/Push Ups - 5x10
Bent Over Rows/Pull Ups - 5x10
Double Front Squat - 10x5

with its opposite:

Double Bench Press/Push Ups - 10x5
Bent Over Rows/Pull Ups - 10x5
Double Front Squat - 5x10

Another thing I've done to most of my program, superset the upper and lower and finish with the odd man out if there is one in that day, or the lift you really want to pound on. This doesn't work so well if alternating strength/hypertrophy per the above suggestion as it helps to have the same set counts, at least for the two paired lifts.

Double Bench Press/Push Ups - 5x10 (10x5)
Double Front Squat - 5x10 (10x5)
these performed consecutively 5x through as superset for 5 sets (10), then
Bent Over Rows/Pull Ups - 10x5 (5x10)

other example:
Double Clean & Press - 5x10 (10x5)
Double Front Squat - 5x10 (10x5)
these performed consecutively 5x through as superset for 5 sets (10), then
Get Ups - 10x5 (5x10)

A last thought, depending on loading this is a lot of sets - with 60 seconds rest, on your strength day you're looking at 30 minutes minimum of just downtime, and 60 seconds is probably not enough time between sets for recovery. I'd be thinking 5x5 and 3x10 respectively with more weight per to get close to tech failure with those numbers.
 
LejonBrames said:
MONDAY
Double Clean & Press - 10x5
Get Ups - 5x1
Double Front Squat - 10x5WEDNESDAY
Double Bench Press/Push Ups - 5x10
Bent Over Rows/Pull Ups - 5x10
Single-Leg Deadlift/Heavy Swings - 10x5(or 10x10 for swings)FRIDAY
Double Clean & Press - 5x10
Get Ups - 5x1
Double Front Squat - 5x10MONDAY
Double Bench Press/Push Ups - 10x5
Bent Over Rows/Pull Ups - 10x5
Double Front Squat - 10x5WEDNESDAY
Double Clean & Press - 5x10
Get Ups - 5x1
Single-Leg Deadlift/Heavy Swings - 5x10(or 10x10 for swings)FRIDAY
Double Bench Press/Push Ups - 5x10
Bent Over Rows/Pull Ups - 5x10
Double Front Squat - 5x10
Click to expand...

I like parts of it but then again I like alot of volume, these are basic movements I use aside from the bench press. What I really like is the flip from 5 x 10 to 10 x 5 and doing it in the same week, it's a nice flip/flop between strength and hypertrophy.

I like @North Coast Miller suggestions, as written the program needs more waviness, since volume is set I would wave the loading. Maybe work in a Heavy Light Medium wave per movement and vary it per movement per repeat/day offsetting push/pull with light/heavy as opposites. This would complicate the programming or it could be accomplished with a dice roll.
Back to back relatively heavy pressing with heavy getup is too risky for me, waving loads here would be a must. I would also not be happy doing getups and swings on only one day every other week.
I prefer a more push/pull A,B format and still waving variables, that way I stay fresh each session. I suspect with all the constant pressing in this program and no load waving I would develop some tendinitis in my elbows. My training is probably 75-80% pull oriented as it's more body friendly for me.
 
For the progression, add a set or add a rep every # of sessions or weeks. I like the FPP progression format. It is very adaptable to almost any set/rep scheme by just adding something to the beginning/end and repeating for the set before/after it each session/week/month.
 
Great discussion, I think I definitely did not take into account sheer volume, time, and the get up conundrum after heavy presses.

I think I threw that in because I was missing my get ups after being on the PP :).

I do see now how this would be a long program, so maybe a more 3x5 or 5x5 set up would be best, and maybe get ups paired with pull ups or rows would be better.

It's interesting with this program there is the potential for an S&S session if you opt for swings instead of SLDL on that specific day where your getups come in, along with pull ups or rows to round out a bit.

Edit: @North Coast Miller, I really like your suggestions regarding this. I think mixing the 5x10 and 10x5 is a smart idea.
 
LejonBrames said:
It's interesting with this program there is the potential for an S&S session if you opt for swings instead of SLDL on that specific day where your getups come in, along with pull ups or rows to round out a bit.
Click to expand...

I don't know about you but I feel like a pile of s*** if I don't do swings and getups at least 2-3 times/wk
 
I've definitely been missing the simplicity of S&S, it becomes like a moving meditation after a while.

However the heavy presses and squats have been a real joy too.
 
What about this:

Warmup
Get ups 2-3x1

Mon/fri
Clean & press 10x3-6
Front squat 10x3-6

Wed
Pushups 5x10-
Bent over row 5x10-

Rotate days each week. Simple.
 
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